More Rare Funk...

Here is another selection of super rare grooves from my personal collection :) Many of these should have been posted earlier, as there are really some excellent tracks in here.

Rare sound illustrations unearthed from the glorious days of Library music, rare soundtracks from 1960-70s European films, rare American funk grooves, all tied together by the ever present thumping bass, breaking drums, scatting flute and horny horns.

Many artists here have already been featured on this blog: Janko Nilovic, Bernard Estardy, Ivan Jullien...

Stefano Torossi and Roger Roger, already featured in the previous selection open up on this one, and are followed by Barry Forgie's "Mindbender". This track is a classical suite, recorded in one 3-hour session. Beautiful string arrangements, electric harpsichords, bongos and other rare instruments come together to form a true baroque/psych/funk masterpiece. Released on a Library Record, it is now one of the most sought after Library LP's in the world (find it for less than $500 and I'll buy it!)

Then comes a track from Jean Claude Vannier's conceptual masterpiece "L'enfant Assassin des Mouches" from 1972. This is an album way ahead of it's time, by the arranger of Gainsbourg's "Melody Nelson". This track mixes classical tones, European mod funk and oriental modalities. An incredibly rich production for a beautifully lush result. An album that MUST be discovered at all costs.

Some serious funky flute moves follow, with Raymond Guiot's "Primitive Spirit" and Jeremy Steig's "Howlin' for Judy". If you've ever listened to the Beastie Boys, you'll know exactly where I'm coming from.

David Snell was also featured in the previous post, and returns with a very etheral and mellow track. A slow-jammer filled with harp melody and a very groovy bass. The track that follows is a mind blowing psychadelic gem from Georges Garvarentz, famous for being Charles Aznavour's arranger and for composing over 150 film scores.

Others include Plimsoll Sandwich from England, the great Italian sountrack composer Piero Umiliani. The track "Topless Party" was part of a score for a soft-core Swedish Porn film "Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso". This 1968 Soundtrack has become legendary for the song "Mah Na Mah Na" covered by..... THE MUPPETS.

Bop Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie is featured with a massive funk tune "Matrix" and is followed by "Brother" McDuff with his "Moon Rappin'". Then come Jimmy Sabater from Puerto Rico, Brazilian-born Jazz Funk artist Jayme Marques, Missus Beastly from Germany, Tihomir Asanovic ("the most funky ex-Yugoslavian keyboard player in the world") and Embryo from Switzerland. Great Funkiness From Around the World!

Tracklist is:

01. Stefano Torossi - Having Fun, 1975
02. Roger Roger - Safari Park, 1972
03. Barry Forgie - Mindbender, 1972
04. J.C. Vannier - Danse des Mouches Noires Gardes du Roi, 1971
05. Raymond Guiot - Primitive Spirit, 1971
06. Jeremy Steig - Howlin' for Judy, 1970
07. David Snell - Crab Apple Jam, 1975
08. Georges Garvarentz - Haschisch Party, 1971
09. Plimsoll Sandwich - Memphis Underground, 1975
10. Piero Umiliani - Topless Party, 1968
11. Janko Nilovic - Gipsy Funk, 1970
12. Dizzy Gillespie - Matrix, 1970
13. 'Brother' Jack McDuff - Moon Rappin', 1970
14. Ivan Jullien - An Oscar for Eddy, 1970
15. Jimmy Sabater - Kool it (Here comes the Fuzz), 1970
16. Bernard Estardy - La Gigouille, 1967
17. Jayme Marques - Negra Orquidea, 1970's
18. Missus Beastly - Space Guerilla, 1976
19. Tihomir Asanovic - Berlin, 1976
20. Embryo - Knast Funk, 1977

Get it here

Library Funk

Here is some music I've been wanting to post for a long time! Music that was recorded back in the days by super talented musicians, most of them completely unheard of at the time, music never made commercially available to the public! This music called "production music" or "library music", was produced by production companies who owned 100% of the licensing rights to these tracks - allowing them to license the music for usage in Film, TV, Radio, commercials, etc. The musicians were paid for their studio time, and the licensing companies then owned the music and all the rights to it. The largest production music libraries owned hundreds of thousands of tracks that were classified by genre, and licensed as "musical illustrations" for other media productions. The customers browse through music catalog until they find something thet fits their need (western, jungle, car chase... you name it!)

Many artists, arrangers, studio engineers, talented sidemen and band leaders worked for these libraries at the time to make a living. The production of library music was especially fertile between the end of the 60s and 1976-77, until the advent of the Disco Era, when musicians became aware that they could become commercially successful with a single hit - and commercial music as we know it now was born...

This selection comprises ONLY European artists, all of which recorded for French, English and Italian libraries, the countries which produced and licensed most of the production music at the time. De Wolfe (England), Telemusic (France) were two of the largest and most prolific libraries, and the list would be too long to name them all.

In this selection, you will here some very rare, groovy, mind-expanding funk, that would probably been long forgotten about, had it not been for the record collecting community - and I think we should be thankful!


Janko Nilovic, is once again featured - so is Jean Claude Pierric, who was one of the driving forces in French Funk in the 70's producing library records and albums that have become classics, and are sought after all over the world. He is behind: "Les Wanted", Godchild, JM Lorgere, Harlem Pop Trotters, and many more. The man is a greatly under-appreciated genius, and is still around - ripping his own productions and posting them to his blog!

Other French Maestros include Guy Pedersen, Nino Nardini & Roger Roger, Bernad Lubat, Claude Bolling (Full Speed is actually a film soundtrack, but it's one that will drive you insane) & Ivan Jullien.

Then come the Italians! Stefano Torossi, Remigio Ducros, Puccio Roelens. Funky Italian wah-wah madness... & please check out the Fender Rhodes solo in "Running Fast".

All the other artists recorded in the U.K.: Reg Wale, Roger Webb, David Snell, Pete Moore, Piet Van Meren, Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett.

Big Bass, funky flute work, killer Rhodes solos, sensational Moog experimentations, jazzy horns and up-tempo drum-breaks all over the place. You don't have to thank me...
Although you can if you want :)

Tracklist is:

01. Janko Nilovic - Scratching Machine, 1970
02. Reg Wale - Bright Spark, 1970s
03. Bernad Lubat - Bahia Bossa Nova, 1970s
04. David Snell - International Flight, 1960s
05. Les Wanted - O Sabia, 1977
06. Nino Nardini & Roger Roger - Shere Khan, 1971
07. Stefano Torossi - Running Fast, 1976
08. Roland Vincent - L.S.D. Party, 1970
09. Pete Moore - Shady Blues, 1974
10. Big Jullien & his All-Star - Crescendo, 1970
11. J.M. Lorgère - Wrong, 1970s
12. Guy Pedersen - Les Copains de la Basse, 1970
13. Claude Bolling - Full Speed, 1970
14. D. Janin & J.C. Pierric - Move Man, 1970s
15. Godchild - Chut bebe dort, 1975
16. Roger Webb - Grey Sigh, 1971
17. Piet Van Meren - Soul Punch, 1973
18. Puccio Roelens - Northern Light, 1977
19. Remigio Ducros - Discoteca, 1970
20. Alan Hawkshaw & Brian Bennett - Oddball, 1974


Get this here, and believe me, you won't ever look at a 70s Italian TV show the same way.